Circuit-interrupter.



K. C. RANDALL.

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 19x4.

Patented May 15, 1917 INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT oFrIoE.

KARL c. KENDALL, or nnsn'woon PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR r wits-rmynoosnnmcrmc- Am; MANUFAc'rUnInG com-ANY, A conronerron or PENN- SY'LVANIA.

To all whom it my (once/11 l is a specification.

Be it known that I, Kant; C. RANDALL, a

citizen 'of the lnited States, and a resident of lldgewood Pill'h'pllttllh county of Alle gheuy and Stateof Pennsylvania, hate inrented a new and useful [Improvement in;

My iu\'cnlion relates to" circuit interruptcrs, audit has, asits ob ect, to 1)l'()\:l(lt5 auxiliarymeans for assisting 111 the operation of the same. 1

When circu ts are interrupted under a11- normal loads, a'gasis developed which. re-

tards-the downward movement of the coir. Itaet 111en111ers 111 the ml in- \\'l11ch.thc v are immersed, by reason of the pistonlil cac tion of theopera-ting rod.' 111 my invention,-

I.prov ide means for conducting the generated e'as away' from the contact 111en111ers sand for utilizing the same in aiding the operation of the circuit interrupter.

The single figure of the accompanying (l1'afwi1'1g is a View, partially in section and partially i1'1 elev ation .:of a three-phase ciiri cuit interrupter embodying my inventioni The 'threephase circuit breaker shown in the drawing comprises three similar units 1,

2 and 3 severally comprising-areceptacle 4,

apluralit'y of stationary contact 111en1bers'5, a plurahty of movable contact members 6,

' an oper1'1ting rod 7, condenser' terminal 1'od 11,.to one arm of a bell crank lever 12,

bushingsS-and a toggle mechanism 9. The

toggle mechanisms 9 are operatively con nected; together by a rod 10, and thetoggle 'mechanism- 9 of the unit 1 is connected by a the .other arm of which is connccted,'*by a rod 13, to one arm of abell crank lever 14.

The remaining-arm of the bell crank lever 14 is connected, byrod 15, to an operating lever 16, substantially as shown'in' the drawing. Atripping device 17 comprises awindmg 18,- a movable core'member-19, a stationary member '20, a latch 21', and a counterweight lever 22 which is pivotally mounted on the rod 11, for reasons hereinafter set forth.

- 1T0 each'of receptacles 4 near upper portion, is cgnnected a pipe 23 having a onew ay valve 2 therein. The lower ends of the 1 a pipe inder 26 is operatively disposed Specification-of Letters-Patent.

omcorr-mrnnnor'rnn.

' in the cylinder 26 and is connected, through an operatingrod 28, to the toggle .mecha-' nism 9 of the unit 2,,substantially as shown and for reasons hereinafter set forth. Near the upper-portion of the-cylinder 26 is an Patented May 15,1917. Application iiledAprll s, 1914. s m m1. 829,861. a

opening 29, for reasons which will hereinafter he explained. A spring 30 is'disposed within the cylinder 26 to act against the! lower side of the drawing. 1 I

\Vhen an abnormal overlo'adloccurs upon ,the circuit which is protected by the circuit interrupter, the coil 18 of the tripping de Vice 17, which -is connected tothecircuit (not show1'1);.is energized to release the lever 22. and the toggle'meehanism 9 to permit the operating rods '7 to move downwardly to disengage the contact members 5 and 6.-' The excessive rush of current which flows when the contact members 5 and 6 are disthe piston 27 as indicate'din engaged generates a gas in the upper portion of the receptacle 4 which acts againstthe rods 7 to oppose aidowmvard movement of the same; The gas thus formed is con.- l1-1ctedtl1rq11gl1 thepipes 23 and the'pipe 25 1c the lower portion ofthe cylinder'26 where it assists the accelerating spring 30 to movethe piston 27 upwardly and the rod 7 downwardly, as will be readily understood. After the piston 27 has moved; upwardly a predetermined distance, under the force 9;-

cited by the spring-30 and the gas, the' open ing '29 allows thegas to escape, and further 111'ove111ent of the piston, is retarded by the air that is compressed in the upper portion of cylinder 26. 1

.Since an overload usually occurs upon 1 only one side of a three-phase circuit, the" one-Way valves 24 are provided to prevent the generated gas from passinginto a receptacle in which nogas is generated andthus rendering the device ineffective. As ar-. ranged, the gas can flow onlycout of the re-- ceptacles into the cylinder 26.

Inorder to close the circuit breaker, the operating lever 16 is moved downwardly until thelatch 21 engage's the' lever 22. The operation of the mechanism 9 moves the rod 7 in an upward'direction to effect the engagement ofthe contact members 5 and 6, as

will be understood. Thefoperation of the toggle mechanism '9 also compresses the spring 30in the. cylinder 26 so thattlie device is again ready- 0 operate in the manner hereinbefQlLdescribed.

ll'hile I-have described my invention with respect to apspecific Structure, it is obvious that modifications maybe made within the spirit of the invention, and I desire to inc u e all such modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

. I claim as my invention:

1. In a circuit interrupter, the combinat-ion withcotiperating contact members and an operating mechanism, of a fluid-actullt(l accelerating device operatively con- "the-separation of the contact members to .-necte(l to the operating mechanism, and conduits for, conductingthe gases generated by the accelerating device.

' 2. In a circuit interrupter, the cqlnbinhtlon'wlth coiipemtm'g contact members and an operatingmechanism, of a fluid-actuated accelerating device operatively connected to theopenitlng mechanisnnand conduits havmg one-way i'alres therein for'=c -omlucting the gases generated by the separation of the contact members to the acceleratingdcriceu 3. In a circuit interrupter, the combi'iia- 'tion with cooperating contact 1ne|n'l ers,.aml' an operatingmechanism, of an accelerating device, means for operatively connectingsaid accelerating device to the said operat ing mechanism, and means for supplying said accelerating device 'with gas generated by the separation of the contactmembers.

4. In a circuit interrupter, the combinm tion with a substantially air-tight receptacle,

' cooperating contact. members therein, and

lobe an operating mechanism therefor, of a fluid actuated device operativcly connected to the operating mechanism, and means for sup- P inder having a piston opcrativly connected to the operating mechanism. and means .for conducting the gas generated in the substantially air-tight. receptacle by the separation of the contact members to the said cylinder.

6. In a circuit interrupter, thc'combinatlon vwith a plurality of substantiallyairtight receptacles. coiiperatmgv contact mom? r bers therein and an .o) r t n mechanism therefor, of a cylinder having a pistonv operatively connected to the operating: met-lianism, and means for supplying'tlw said or]- i-n-der with the gas generated in the said receptacles by the separation of tllc contact members.

7. In a circuit interrupter. theconihina; tion with a plurality of suhstantialLv airtight receptacles, cooperating contact ununbers therein, and an operating mechanismtherefor, of a cylinder ha ring a piston oper- .atively connected to the operating: mechanism, means for conducting thegas ,LOJIOL atedin each receptacle to the said lin1 ler, and means for.preventing the said gases '-froniflou-img from onereceptacle to another" 8,. In a circuit interrupter, the combinati ht rece )taclcs, coo )eratinv C(mt-actYmemb c 1 bers therelnz, "and. anoperating mechanism tion with a plurality of substantially airtherefor, of a cylinder having a piston op-- erativcly connected to the operatingmechanism, a resilient member for assisting in the operating of the'said piston, ineans-t'orconduct ng the gas generated in the receptacles to the said cylinder, and check valves to prevent the gas from flowingfro'm one receptacle toanother. v 3

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 31stday of March.

a KARL C. RANDALL, Witnesses:

J. E. WEBSTER,

' B. B. Hmns. 

